His Daughter’s Marriage
I was informed by Abu al-Makarim al-Shuruti, who said: Abu ʿAli informed us; Abu Nuʿaym informed us; al-Qatiʿi narrated to us; ʿAbd Allah ibn Ahmad narrated to us; and al-Hasan ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz said:
A letter was sent to Ḍamrah ibn Rabiʿah from Ibrahim ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Kinani stating that Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib married off his daughter for two dirhams (1).
Saʿid ibn Mansur reported: Muslim al-Zinji related to us, from Yasar ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, from Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, that he gave one of his daughters in marriage for two dirhams to his nephew (2).
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawud said: Saʿid’s daughter had been sought in marriage by ʿAbd al-Malik for his son al-Walid, but Saʿid refused. ʿAbd al-Malik kept devising stratagems against him until, on a cold day, he lashed him one hundred strokes, poured a jar of water over him, and clothed him in a woollen robe.
He also narrated: Ahmad, the nephew of ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Wahb, told me; ʿUmar ibn Wahb told us; from ʿAttaf ibn Khalid; from Ibn Harmalah; from Ibn Abi Wadaʿah—meaning Kathir—who said:
“I used to sit with Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, but he missed me for several days. When I finally came, he asked, ‘Where have you been?’
“I replied, ‘My wife has died, and I have been occupied with her funeral.’
“He said, ‘Why did you not inform us so that we could have attended?’
“Then he asked, ‘Have you married another woman?’
“I answered, ‘May Allah have mercy on you! Who would marry me when I own only two—or three—dirhams?’
“He said, ‘I will.’
“I asked, ‘You will?’
“He replied, ‘Yes.’
“Then he praised Allah, invoked blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and married me off for two dirhams—or, he said, three. I left, not knowing what to do from sheer joy. When I reached my house I began thinking from whom I could borrow the money.
“I performed the Maghrib prayer, returned home—alone and fasting—and set out my simple meal of bread and oil to break my fast. Suddenly my door was knocked.
“I asked, ‘Who is it?’
“He said, ‘Saʿid.’
“And I began to think of every person who…"